Liverpool 4 Dortmund 3 (Apr 14 2016)

[tlw content]

 

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The players change. The manager changes. Even many of the fans change. The one constant is that Anfield on a European night still usually finds a way to deliver. I’m not going to proclaim this as the best, most dramatic one of all, but it’s in the discussion and it wouldn’t be an outlandish claim if I did. How it is remembered by future generations will largely depend on what happens next. If we go out in the semi final or lose in the final this win won’t be tarnished in any way, but if we go on to win the competition then it will certainly be enhanced.
 
The thing is, Dortmund are better than us. They've got better players and they've been together longer. They should have won this game and for a long time it looked as though they had, and at something of a canter. But then the power of Anfield took over. There are a lot of things that went into this result, but top of the list is that magical thing that so often happens under the lights on European nights. It’s impossible to explain it, but everyone in Europe knows it's real and half of them have fallen victim to it.
 
Great teams can do great things, but often when we’ve pulled off these kind of monumental results we haven’t been a great team, yet we've pulled off the improbable, and occasionally the impossible. We’re not a great team now either but in that second half the players performed like men possessed. Mamadou Sakho scored the equaliser and then Dejan Lovren scored the winner. DEJAN. LOVREN. This is Anfield you see. Remarkable things often happen.
 
It certainly felt like this was something completely out of the ordinary, something incredibly special and totally unexpected. Yet when you sit back and analyse it in the cold light of day, there was also something almost inevitable about what took place. This kind of thing has happened regularly at Anfield so we shouldn’t be THAT surprised by it. I think that hardest part to comprehend about this one is that Dortmund are so good and for a while it looked like they might take us to the cleaners. There were some similarities with Istanbul in that first half, and one or two in the second half too for that matter. 
 
We didn’t actually play that badly in that first half and looked lively going forward, but any time we lost the ball they just tore us to pieces with quick, incisive counter attacks. Milan of course went 3-0 up in 2005, whereas Dortmund only scored twice. Still, the away goals rule meant that, just like in Istanbul, we needed to score three without reply to avoid defeat. Once again, we found a way to do it.
 
That start was horrific though. It was the worst thing that could have happened because everyone had been so hyped before kick off. Anfield Road was wild before the game as thousands waited to welcome the team bus to the stadium, flares were being set off everywhere and lads were climbing scaffolding and running across rooftops. YNWA before kick off was spine tingling and everything was set up for us to make a flying start, similar to what we did to Juventus and Chelsea back in 2005. 
 
Yet what happened was the exact opposite of what we were hoping for. The game kicked off and within two minutes we were behind. “There goes our away goal advantage” I said to myself. Six minutes later we conceded a second. “There goes our last chance of a trophy” I muttered. Dortmund were doing a number on us but in all honesty we played right into their hands. Whereas last week we were compact, disciplined and left them no space to counter attack, this time we were wide open as we sent men forward looking for an early breakthrough. Both goals came from us losing the ball in their half with men forward and them breaking on us with lightning speed into the gaps we left. 
 
I didn’t like Klopp’s team selection beforehand as I thought we looked really light in midfield and both of those goals just confirmed it. The first one started with a mix up between Coutinho and Moreno deep in Dortmund territory and within seconds they were on the edge of our box attacking in numbers, and we were all over the place trying to defend it. Sakho was deeper than everyone else (a theme throughout the night and something he needs to work on) and played them all onside as Aubameyang’s volley was brilliantly saved by Mignolet, but Mkhitaryan reacted quickest to fire in the rebound.
 
Their second goal was a result of Firmino being dispossessed in their half. Again, Sakho was deeper than everyone else again and played Aubameyang onside. The striker ran into the box and then blasted a shot past a helpless Mignolet into the top corner. Technically you wouldn’t want to see the keeper beaten on his near post but when the ball is blasted like that there’s very little you can do. 
 
It was just so deflating and I was genuinely fearful that we might get completely embarrassed, as they looked so slick every time they broke on us. It wasn’t as though we'd played that badly and I thought some of the football we played was excellent and Origi looked particularly threatening. We had five or six chances to score in that first half. Not great chances, but decent ones. 
 
The lively Origi had two or three efforts, Coutinho had a couple of shots deflected wide and Lallana completely missed his kick from close to the penalty spot. Dortmund themselves could have added to their tally too as they had a couple of really good chances they failed to take.
 
It was tough to sit through it, especially as I wasn’t in my usual seat and was in the Paddock just yards away from the Dortmund fans. More on them later though. There was a predictable YNWA from the Kop just before the start of the second half and it looked to have paid off as we started well and gave ourselves hope with an absolutely glorious goal from Origi. That was such a fantastic team goal and I think it’s being overlooked somewhat because of the unbelievable scenes we saw later, but it’s one of the best goals we’ve scored all season.
 
Can - who was excellent even in the first half when others struggled - strode majestically through the midfield playing one twos all the way before rolling a ball in behind the defence for Origi to run onto and then calmly poke the ball under the keeper. The start of a famous comeback? It felt like it, momentum had shifted in our favour and the crowd were becoming more and more rabid.
 
And then just like that, the air was sucked out of the stadium with one moment of quality from Dortmund. We have to defend that better, but nevertheless it was a class goal from them. Hummels has a range of passing that eclipses most midfield players, and his slide rule ball sent Reus in off the back of Clyne and he curled the ball into the corner giving Mignolet no chance.
 
Lovren’s positioning was a little suspect, Sakho was once again deeper than everybody else and played Reus onside (if he stepped up Reus would have been yards off), while Clyne could have done better too. As I said, bad goal from our point of view but you have to admire the clinical nature of Dortmund’s attacking play. It looked as though we’d given ourselves too big a mountain to climb, but unlike when they got those two quick goals early on, I didn’t feel like they would run away from us now because we'd settled down and their attacks were becoming few and far between. That Reus goal was the only time they really threatened in the whole second half.
 
Still, we needed a quick response if we were to have any chance of getting back into it and thankfully that’s what we got, as Coutinho played a one two with Milner and drilled one into the bottom corner. Another great goal that, and I’d say that was probably the most pivotal moment in the game as it got the crowd back into it quickly. Whatsmore, it put the shits right up Dortmund because no matter how good you are, when you’re in that situation you can’t help but think “what if we blow this?”.
 
Obviously we still needed two more goals to go through, but even one more was going to be enough to put the fear of God into them. There was loads of time left after Coutinho scored, and you could feel the belief starting to filter around the stadium, especially as a lot of the zip had gone out of Dortmund’s counter attacks. They were struggling to keep possession as our players were just buzzing around them like wasps on speed at a picnic. There’s no doubt the players fed off the crowd and eventually they just began to overpower Dortmund due to their work rate and sheer will to pull a result out of the fire.
 
No-one typified that more than Milner. Not everything he attempted came off, but he’s just fucking relentless. He never stops; chasing, tackling, driving the team forward. It’s easy to get frustrated with the odd misplaced pass or shit corner (I’ll get to that shortly) but you can see why his managers have always loved him. He’s the Yorkshire Dirk. 
 
He looks a lot more effective when we play a midfield diamond too. He wasn’t great in a two alongside Can, but when Klopp switched it and got him and Allen either side of Can with Coutinho playing behind the two strikers, I thought he was phenomenal. So was Allen. He’s fucking boss is Wee Joe and he should have started this game. This was Klopp’s “Hamann in Istanbul” moment. Should have started him, but better late than never.
 
Allen and Sturridge coming on gave us the lift we needed at just the right time. Just as significantly, Dortmund’s subs were negative as they just looked to stem the red tide. We forced several corners but they kept getting cleared at the near post. Milner got it in the neck from the fans which was understandable, although in his defence I don’t think all of these corners are being badly taken. It’s not that he can’t clear the first man as obviously if he wanted to put it to the back post he could. It’s a deliberate ploy to go near post but the problem is we never seem to get anyone on it and it makes Milner look like a dick.
 
Coutinho took one from the other side and that was actually a carbon copy of most of Milner’s deliveries. This time though Sturridge made a run to the near post and although he didn’t get a touch it distracted the Dortmund players and allowed Sakho to stoop to head us level. I honestly felt like we’d do it at that moment because there was still a fair bit of time to get the winner and Dortmund had gone. They couldn’t really get out as every time they cleared the ball we picked it up and went right back at them.
 
Unfortunately we’d have to do it without Can who’d been injured in a scramble just before the corner that led to Sakho’s goal. He was replaced by Lucas who came on and just started fouling people. In fairness it must have been tough to come into a game of this frantic pace and immediately get to grips with it. And the pace of it was fucking mental at this point.
 
One of the many good things about Klopp is he isn’t too proud to go route one when necessary, and we hit a lot of long balls into the box in the closing stages. We had a free-kick out on the right and Milner went deep and Lovren found himself free at the back post. He attempted a ridiculously ambitious left foot volley that ended up halfway up the Kop. I was cursing him after that as I feared it would be our last chance and he’d blown it attempting something he could not pull off if he tried it a thousand times. It reminded me of his shot from 40 yards at Wembley in the Villa semi last year.
 
Football’s a funny old game though, and a couple of minutes later we got a free-kick in a similar position. This time Milner played it into the feet of Sturridge who had made a clever run across the defence into space on the right. He looked for a second like he’d lost the ball but recovered well and nutmegged the defender to find the marauding Milner who hadn’t stood watching his free-kick but had chased it into the box. He took one touch, then stood a brilliant cross up to the back post where Lovren soared like an eagle to out jump his marker and plant a header into the top corner.
 
Lovren the hero? Who'd have thunk it. No more than he deserves though for never losing belief in himself when everyone else doubted him. Some fella has already named his newborn son "Dejan" after this and I've got two mates with expectant girlfriends who have now pledged to do the same. It's going to be funny in a few years time when there's loads of little "Dejans" running around.
 
Anfield went absolutely nuts of course. All except one corner of the Anny Road end that went silent for the first time all night. As I said earlier, I was right next to the Dortmund fans and their singing had been continuous to that point. It never let up for one minute, the drum, the guy with the megaphone and the thousands who joined in with every chant. Their support was absolutely incredible and our goals didn't even interrupt it. Until Lovren's that is. The ball hit the back of the net and their singing stopped instantly. When I eventually stopped celebrating I looked over at them and for the first time all night they were just sat there in stunned silence.
  
The front row was where their ultras were sat, they were leading the singing and waving those flags all night, and a few of them had been getting a bit mouthy at half time, taunting fans in the Paddock. The funny thing is, they were the least intimidating "ultras" I've ever seen. They looked like a Vanilla Ice tribute act. Back to front baseball caps and sunglasses? What the hell is this, the 1990s?
 
One of our fans rather unnecessarily started rubbing it in after we took the lead, and while most of the Dortmund fans just stood there in shock, one of the Vanilla Ice posse started giving it the old Gary Lineker “I’ve got my eye on you” and then starting making throat slitting gestures. I just wanted to tell him to stop…. collaborate and listen. What? Come on, that's fucking gold that is.
 
Anyway, there was still time for us to have one late scare (there always is) when, surprise surprise, Lucas gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box. Contact was minimal but refs are always going to give that. Gundogan stepped up to take it and from where I was sat it looked like it was going in. Thankfully it drifted wide of the post and the ref immediately blew for full time.
 
The scenes after the final whistle were something that will live long in the memory. Sakho was going crazy, Klopp was doing the rounds giving hugs to all and sundry while the Dortmund players just stood there in disbelief at what had happened. They aren’t the first and they won’t be the last. This is what we do, and we don’t even need to be a great side to be able to do it. It’s the power of Anfield.
 
Dortmund’s players went to thank their fans for the incredible support they’d given them but you could see on the TV footage a lot of fans were giving them all kinds of shit. Can’t really blame them, imagine how we’d react if our team blew a 3-1 lead in similar circumstances. I didn’t take any pleasure in the fact we’d beaten them, all the pleasure was just that we’d won against a great team against all the odds. I like Dortmund, it’s refreshing to come up against a team where there is no bad feeling and it’s all very cordial.
 
I’m not sure they’ll be quite so friendly the next time we meet as they’ve now got the return of Klopp out of the way and this defeat will sting them for a long time. Hopefully we’ll meet in the Champions League next year, although we’ve still got a lot of work to do if there’s to be any possibility of that happening.
 
Villarreal won’t be easy and if we get past them the final will be tough too, but if we can beat a side like Dortmund then we have nothing to fear from anyone. 
 
It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in the six months that Klopp has been here. Remember how it was when he first arrived, with fans leaving in their droves with ten minutes to go? The atmosphere was shite, the fans had no faith in the team and the team had no faith in themselves. Now look at us? We’ve still got a long way to go and consistency remains a big problem, but who’d have thought a few months ago that we’d eliminate the Mancs and then Dortmund in successive rounds?
 
Maybe one day we’ll look back on this Dortmund game as not just an incredible one off night, but as the start of something really big. It’s difficult to put these incredible European nights in any kind of order, but something to bear in mind when doing so is that you can quite easily argue that Dortmund were superior to us in every position on the field. How many of our players are better than the Dortmund equivalent? Possibly none, and yet we won even though we needed to score three unanswered goals in the second half to do so.
 
When the dust settles on this one and we see what the rest of the competition brings, this surely has to be top three when everything is taken into account. 
 
Star man is a toss up between Can and Origi, although everyone who was on the field in the final half an hour deserves massive credit. Those two were on their games all night though, and if Can is ruled out for any length of time he's going to be a huge loss. Maybe now Klopp will finally let the Welsh Pirlo off the leash for the rest of the season? Get your money on a Joe Allen winner in the final in Basel. Either him or Kolo. It's been that kind of a season. 
 
Team: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Can (Lucas), Milner; Lallana (Sturridge), Firmino (Allen), Coutinho; Origi:

[Kevin D]

I reckon Usher was pissed when he wrote that.

[Razoray]

Stop collaborate and listen is one of the funniest things Ive read on here. Fucking Gold is right

[buster69]

But Dave, you said you wanted the season to end after we lost the cup final....

 

I'm like a broken record about that, but I will say one other thing, it's only a couple of weeks ago since these players conceded three goals in the second half to lose a league game, so they owed us that second half. The fact that it came in a European night at Anfield makes it all the sweeter though.

[buster69]

Also think it's fair to say that the fan protest mid season had a galvanizing effect, particularly when the owner's relented and froze their prices. It's helped the supporters get closer to the club again.

[Pureblood]

I wonder if anyone left early when Reus scored. 

[dave u]

I wonder if anyone left early when Reus scored. 

 

Jim Boardman reckons the fella sat next to him walked out at half time!

 

The lad sat next to me just said "and that's why we should sign him". I wasn't sure if he was being ironic or if he was one of the "SIGN REUS!!" brigade.

[Pureblood]

Jim Boardman reckons the fella sat next to him walked out at half time!

 

The lad sat next to me just said "and that's why we should sign him". I wasn't sure if he was being ironic or if he was one of the "SIGN REUS!!" brigade.

 

 

Poor fella next to Jim Boardman.

 

I reckon you were sat next to Numero. 

[jimmycase]

Cant stand so called fans who walk out at half time. They're usually the glory hunting types anyway.

 

Its impossible to fault any one of the players. Although dave mentions Lucas' fouls, some people were suggesting he should have started and would have at least given a foul before one of the first two goalswere scored.

 

Even when we're not great, we're still fucking boss!

[Iceman]

It's a night they will never forget. 

[Dougie Do'ins]

Milner the Yorkshire Dirk ? He fucking wishes. Fucking low blow that Dave.

[Iceman]

Is it true Milner has an invisible caravan strapped to his ankle Dave? 

[Paco]

Great report. Sums up pretty much how I felt. Can motm in my opinion. He has been immense recently.

[Ipplfc]

Great report that,defo up there as one of the best nights anfield has ever seen,Dortmund are a fantastic side,unbeaten in eighteen matches stretching back four months.kloppo has instilled a real identity in this team and I think we are starting to feel it too,you get the feeling this fella is going to create something very special at our club.very fitting tribute to the memory of the 96.Y.N.W.A

[Paul]

Jim Boardman reckons the fella sat next to him walked out at half time!

 

The lad sat next to me just said "and that's why we should sign him". I wasn't sure if he was being ironic or if he was one of the "SIGN REUS!!" brigade.

Jim Boardman was at the match???

[Paco]

Great report that,defo up there as one of the best nights anfield has ever seen,Dortmund are a fantastic side,unbeaten in eighteen matches stretching back four months.kloppo has instilled a real identity in this team and I think we are starting to feel it too,you get the feeling this fella is going to create something very special at our club.very fitting tribute to the memory of the 96.Y.N.W.A

dortmund hadn't blown a 2 goal lead in 21 years according to james pearce.

[Ranxerox]

Money quote

 

"They were struggling to keep possession as our players were just buzzing around them like wasps on speed at a picnic."

 

Honourable mention and nomination for best idea for a new username 

 

 "He’s the Yorkshire Dirk." 

 

AKA The Dirk of Yorkshire

[Kloppite]

Poor fella next to Jim Boardman.

 

I reckon you were sat next to Numero.

He probably left to get away from Jim boardman.

[JermainePennant]

Excellent report and it sums up my feelings about the game, the description of Milner is bang on.

 

Without taking anything away from Klopp I agree with Paul Merson that it was the kop who won us that game, there's something special at LFC where the fans and players always believe they can beat anyone.I honestly think if Wenger had took over us instead of Arsenal we would probably be up there with Barca, if he had the support LFC fans give he would have won a few European cups.I wanted a new stadium but Anfield definitely plays a part in these kind of games with the history, credit to the owners for keeping the team at Anfield.